Carrier for cans



Jan. 6, 1959 ANDRE CARRIER FOR CANS Filed Deb; 28. 195:

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' FIE| 1 r l! I II A IN V EN TOR. NOELE A/VUQE United CARRIER FOR CANS Noble Andre, San Francisco, Calif assigror to Andre- Matic Machinery Company, San Leandro, Calif.

Application December 28, 1953, Serial No. 490,675

6 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to a carrier for cans and has for one of its objects the provision of a carrier made from a single sheet of cardboard or the like and which carrier is formed to enclose and to hold a plurality of such cans without requiring the use of glue, cement or staples at any point in the carrier, and which carrier is adapted to be simply and quickly formed or folded about the group of cans to be carried and held together.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an open ended carrier provided with side panels, a top panel and a bottom panel, which top and bottom panels have means integral therewith for extending between a pair of rows of cans respectively disposed betweensaid side panels and said means, so that laterally projecting chimes at the top and bottom of adjacent cans in said rows will not be vertically displaced one above the other.

While the present invention is not necessarily intended to be limited to cylindrical cans having radially outwardly projecting chimes at their upper and lower ends, the present carrier is particularly adapted for carrying and for holding such cans. Heretofore carriers or cartons for cylindrical objects such as bottles, etc., have been designed and produced, and in such cartons the side walls have been formed with openings along the top and bottom edge of each side wall to permit the side Walls to belly out slightly and to permit the upper and lower peripheral portions of such objects to project through such openings, as shown in U. S. Patent 1,968,877, of August 7, 1934 to A. H. Cubberly, thereby holding the objects from falling out of the open ends of each carton.

in the present invention the carrier is intended to hold two rows of cans, and in order that the carrier securely holds the cans in the carrier, it is essential that the radially projecting chimes on one can of the end pairs at each end of the row do not ride up and over the chimes on the other can of said end pairs. Were this to happen, it would not be dihicult for the end cans of a row to fall out of the end objection thereto.

With the present invention this objection is overcome.

Also in conventional structure, the side panels of the cartons are usually imperforate, hence the cans themselves cannot be scen. In the present provision is made for viewing one of the enclosed cans from each side of the carton and at the same time such means includes structure that tends to hold the center can in each row (such as a three can row) against shifting longitudinally of each row.

The use of glue in cartons for the present purpose involves objections that have heretofore been tolerated, but in the present invention there is no glue. Instead, the cartons are folded about the cans and are locked in can holding position by simple interengaging means that are integral with the cartons themselves.

Another advantage of carriers made in accordance with the present invention is the fact that a minimum of material is required, and when the cans are in the car- 2,867,329 Patented Jan. 6, 1959 ice 2. riers, the latter can; easily and quickly be packed in cases without interference between carriers and without the likelihood of injury to the carriers.

The accomplishment of the various objects and advantages above noted in a manner that lends itself to automatic machinery for rapidly packaging the cans is an advantage of the present invention. There are no intricate operations that tend to slow down. the packaging of the cans. Instead the carrier blanks are so formed that diflicultand intricate operations are elminated and packages are rapidly formed with the minimum of delay.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in thedrawings.

In the drawings .Fig. 1', is a perspective View of a car rier or complete package containing cans.

Fig. 2 is an; enlarged, fragmentary bottom plan view of a portion of the carrier showing the locking means. Fig, 3 is a fragmentary enlarged; perspective view of the locking means shown in Fig. 2

Fig; 4 is a greatly reduced plan view of a blank from which the carrier is formed.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the package of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6, is a sectional viewtaken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5. v

In detail, theblank from which. the carrier is formed is an elongated, rectangular sheet of cardboard or the like having a central panel 1 that ultimately will form the top panel of the carrier. This panel 1 lies between parallel folding creases 2, which creases define the junctures between the top panel 1 and the adjoining side panels 3, the latter being the opposed sides of the carrier.

The bottom panel of; the ultimately formed carrier is actually in two panels 4-, 5, that adjoin and areintegral with the panels 3v respectively and may be called the end panels, and folding-creases 6 define the junctures between said end panels 4, 5 and panels-3.

The end panels 4, 5 have terminating marginal sections 7, 8, and these marginal sections join end panels 4, 5 along folding cre aess'9, 10. v r

The top panel or central 1 is formed with a pair of finger openings 12 through which the fingers of a hand are adapted to, extend for holding the finishedand loaded carrier by said hand. I

The blank shown in Fig. 4 is intended to form a car rier for a half dozen cylindrical upright cans 13 (Figs. 1, 6) and which cans are formed attheir upper and lower ends with radially outwardly projecting chimes 14 (Fig. 6). Said chimes actually'are formed by crimping the top and bottom of each can to the side walls;

The top panel 1 of the blank is formed with tabs 16 that are partially stamped or cut from said panel, and which tabs are bendable along a medial line extending across panel 1 at right angles to the length of the blank so as to extend between the adjacent pairs of end cans in the two rows of the latterwhen saidv cans are in the carrier (Fig. 6). bases of the. tabs to facilitate latter.

Each ofthe side. panels 3 is formed with a central opening 18, and. the marginal portions 19 along two opposite edges of each opening are cutfree from the blank at their ends so that said portions 1 9 may be bent inwardly in the finished; carrier (Figs. 1, 2) along folding creases 21 (Fig. 4 to engage the generally opposite sides of the central can 13' in each of the rows.

The said central can will be exposed through opening 18 in each side paneLand at the same time the flaps or marginal portions 1 9 willvtend to, hold the central can in each row against shifting longitudinally of the row and against; rotationofsaid cans.

In anactual carrier-forming operation, the blanks of Fig. 4 maybe supported flat in extended position as seen the proper bending of the Folding creases 17 extend along the wardly to extend across and against the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pair of rows of cans.

Along the folding creases 2, 6 are pairs of parallel slits 25,26 defining opposite sides of openings and which pairs of slits are spaced longitudinally of the said creases and parallel therewith. These pairs of slits so positioned that the chimes 14 of the six cans will be against the portion 27 of the blank that is between the slits of each pair, and will force said portion outwardly (Fig. 2) when the side panels 3 are folded to lie against the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pair of rows of cans. The spacing between the slits '25, 26 is about the same as the width of each of the chimes 14.'

The next step in forming the carrier is to bend the.

end panels 4, to overlie the ends of the cans in each row and to also bend the marginal sections 7, 8 so they will extend between the rows of cans at the ends of the cans that are opposite the tabs 16.

In end panel 5 along folding crease (Fig. 4) is a pair of tabs 30, each of which is substantially rectangular in outline and cut away from the panel 5 along three edges. The fourth edge of each tab isparallel with the crease 31 with the edge opposite thereto being along crease 10.

The marginal section 7 is also formed with a pair of tabs 33, which tabs are each generally T shaped, but with a very short leg, and these tabs are each cut away from section 7 except at the foot of each leg and said foot remains joined to panel 4 along crease 9.

When the sections 7, 8 are bent so as to lie between the rows of cans (Fig. 3) the tabs 33 are not bent but remain coplanar with panel 4, hence they will overlie the tabs 30 and offset to one side of sections 7, 8, and the next step is to push tabs 33 downwardly, thereby swinging the tabs 30 downwardly and swinging tabs 33 through the openings left by tabs 30 (Fig. 3). The ends 35 of the head-of each T shaped tab 33 will bend along crease l1nes'36' (Fig. 3) to enable them to pass through the openings left by bending tabs 30 inwardly, and said ends 35 will then spring back to position below the panel 5 and offset toone side of sections 7, 8 thus locking the panels 4, 5 together. As further security, in this locking structure, the tabs 30 will assume the position shown in Fig. 3, holding tabs'33 against any tending to move back out of the openings left by tabs 30.

The carrier with the cans locked therein will then be inverted to bring the top panel 1 uppermost for engagement of the fingers of the carrying hand in openings 17.

It will beseen from the structure described that no glue whatsoever is required in forming the cartonsor carriers, or in locking the cans inthe carriers. Furthermore there are no protruding handles to interfere with packing the carriers in larger cases for shipment, and there are no slit locks required.

The blanks are rectangular in shape and have no small openings that must be stripped of adhering material. Such openings as the finger openings 12 readily free themselves of material that might tend to hold in smaller openings and even if some material were to cling, it would not interfere with the forming of the carrier.

The edges of the chimes of the cans are covered by the material 27 between each pair of slits25, 26 and there are no protruding portionson'the carrier to catch onadjacent carriers or cases in which the carriers may be packed. I v p t The extensions or marginal sections 7, 8 are important since they positively prevent the chimes at the lower ends of the cans in one row from becoming offset, one above the other and consequently being withdrawn from their.

protruding positions between slits 25, 26,. The tabs 16 are important in holding the upper chimes on the adjacent end cans of the rows from being similarly vertically offset. Thus there is virtually no likelihood of the end cans in the rows being released from the carrier, and the flaps 19 tend to hold the central can in each row in the center of the carrier midway between the open ends.

I claim:

1. A carrier for a pair of parallel rows of upright cylindrical cans respectively at opposite sides of a vertical plane and which cans have radially outwardly projecting chimes at their upper and lower ends comprising: a single oblong sheet of cardboard folded along spaced, parallel lines extending transversely thereacross to provide a hozi zontal central panel, a pair of opposed vertical side panels, a pair of horizontal coplanar end panels of the same size in opposed relation to said central panel, and opposed, engaging end sections integral with said end panels projecting toward said central panel substantially in a vertical plane bisecting said central panel, means respectively carried by and integral with said end panels separate from and oflset to one side of said end sections in interlocking relation holding said end sections in said engaging relation and holding said end panels in coplanar relation, the space between said side panels and between said central panel and said end panels being adapted to closely receive said rows of cans with said end sections closely fitted between said rows at one of the ends of said cans and with said side panels extending over the oppositely outwardly facing sides of said pair of rows.

2. A carrier for a pair of parallel rows of upright cylindrical cans respectively at opposite sides of a vertical plane and which cans have radially outwardly projecting chimes at their upper and lower ends comprising: a single oblong sheet of cardboard folded along spaced, parallel lines extending transversely thereacross to provide a horizontal central panel, a pair of opposed vertical side panels, a pair of horizontal coplanar end panels of the same size in opposed relation to said central panel, and opposed, engaging end sections integral with said end panels projecting toward said central panel substantially in avertical plane bisecting said central panel, means respectively carried by and integral with said end panels separate from and offset to one side of said end sections in interlocking relation holding said end sections in said engaging relation and holding said end panels in coplanar relation, the space between said side panels and between said central panel and said end panels being adapted to closely receive said rows of cans with said end sections closely fittedbetween said rows at one of the ends of said cans and with said side panels extending over the oppositely outwardly facing sides or" said pair of rows, and means integral with said central panel extending toward said end sections and disposed in said plane for extending between said rows of cans at their other ends andat opposite ends of said rows, said side panels being formed with rows of openings respectively adjacent to their junctures with said central panel and with said end panels for projection of the chimes of said cans therethrough, and said last mentioned means being positioned in line with the end openings of the rows adjacent to said central panel in direction across the latter between said side panels for spacing the chimes of the end cans of said rows when said cans are in said carrier and for holding the chimes of said end cans at one of their ends in the said end openings.

3. In combination with a pair of parallel rows of vertically disposed cylindrical cans, a carrier therefor comprising a single elongated sheet of cardboard folded along spaced parallel lines extending transversely thereacross to provide a central horizontal panel, a pair of opposed vertical side panels, a pair of horizontal coplanar end panels in opposed relation to said central panel extending to a vertical plane bisecting said central panel, and a pair of opposed vertical engaging, disconnected end sections at the adjacent ends of said end panels extending toward said central panel substantially in said plane, said central panel extending over one of the ends of the cans of said rows and said end panels each extending over the opposite ends of the cans of a row of said pair, with said side panels extending over the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pair of rows, said side panels being formed with rows of openings along the junctures between said side panels and said end panels and between said side panels and said central panel, each of said cans having radially outwardly projecting chimes at its opposite ends, the chimes on the ends of the cans of said rows extending through said openings respectively, said end sections extending between the chimes of the cans of said pair of rows holding the chimes at one of the ends of said cans in the said openings in which they are positioned and means integral with said central panel and in said plane extending toward said sections and between the end cans of said pair of rows holding the chimes on the cans of said end pair at the other end of said cans in the said openings in which they are positioned, said sections and said last mentioned means extending past the chimes adjacent thereto for preventing the chimes at opposite sides thereof from shifting vertically relatively to positions in which one overlies the other, the ends of said carrier at the ends of said rows being open.

4. In combination with a pair of parallel rows of vertically disposed cylindrical cans, a carrier therefor comprising a single, elongated sheet of cardboard folded along spaced, parallel lines extending transversely thereacross to provide a central horizontal panel, a pair of opposed vertical side panels and a pair of horizontal,

coplanar end panels in opposed relation to said central panel extending to a vertical plane bisecting said central panel and at least one of the adjacent ends of said end panels having an integral terminal end section extending toward said central panel substantially in said plane, said central panel extending over one of the ends of the cans of said rows and said end panels each extending over the opposite ends of the cans of a row of said pair with said side panels extending over the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pair of rows, the cans of said rows having radially outwardly projecting chimes at their opposite ends, and the chimes at each of the ends of the cans of said rows being respectively coplanar and against the said central panel and said end panels respectively, said end section being between the chimes of the cans of said pair of rows to prevent the chimes on the cans in one row from sliding over the chimes on the cans of the other row to lapping relation, and means integral with one of said end panels movable from a position normal to said end section and coplanar with said end panels through the other of said end panels and below the latter into locking relation therewith for locking said end panels together in coplanar relation.

5. A package comprising, in combination, a pair of rows of upright, cylindrical cans in side by side relation and which cans have radially outwardly projecting chimes thereon at their lower ends, a single elongated sheet of cardboard having a central panel extending over and in engagement with the upper ends of said cans and side panels extending downwardly from said central panel across and in engagement with said cans at the oppositely outwardly facing sides of said pair of rows thereof, end panels on said side panels being part of said sheet and extending toward each other from the lower edges of said side panels across and in engagement with the lower ends of said cans and to approximately meeting relation centrally between said lower edges, spaced openings formed in said side panels along their lower edges and said chimes projecting into said openings along the outer sides of said pair of rows, 21 pair of end sections respec tively at the opposite ends of said sheet and being a part thereof, said end sections extending perpendicularly from said end panels toward said central panel and being in opposed engaging relation and disposed between and in close engaging relation with the radially directed surfaces of said chimes at the adjacent sides of said rows spacing the chimes on the cans of one row from the chimes of the other row whereby each of said end sections will hold the chimes that are in engagement therewith in the respective openings into which said chimes project, means adjacent to said end sections respectively on and integral with said end pa'nels separate from and offset to one side of said end sections in interlocking relation for holding said end sections in their opposed engaging position and against said radially facing surfaces of said chimes.

6. In combination with a pair of parallel rows of vertically disposed cylindrical cans, a carrier therefor comprising a single elongated sheet of cardboard folded along spaced parallel lines extending transversely thereacross to provide a central horizontal panel, a pair of opposed vertical side panels, a pair of horizontal, generally coplanar end panels in opposed relation to said central panel extending to a vertical plane bisecting said central panel, the adjacent ends of said end panels being secured together, and at least one of said last named ends having an integral, terminal end section extending toward said central panel substantially in said plane, said central panel extending over one of the ends of the cans of said rows and said end panels each extending over the opposite ends of the cans of a row of said pair, with said side panels extending over the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pair of rows, said side panels being formed with rows of openings along the junctures between said side panels and said end panels and between said side panels and said central panel, each of said cans having radially outwardly projecting chimes at its opposite ends, the chimes on the ends of the cans of said rows extending through said openings respectively, said end section extending between the chimes of the cans of said pair of rows holding the chimes at one of the ends of said cans in the said openings in which they are positioned, and means integral with said central panel and in said plane extending towards said section and between the end cans of said pair of rows holding the chimes on the cans of said end pair at the other end of said cans in the said openings in which they are positioned, said section and said last mentioned means extending past the chimes adjacent thereto for preventing the chimes at opposite sides thereof from shifting vertically relatively to positions in which one overlies the other, the ends of said carrier at the ends of said rows being open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 668,705 Baskerville Feb. 26, 1901 1,747,390 Robb Feb. 18, 1930 1,923,774 Coyle Aug. 22, 1933 1,968,877 Cubberley Aug. 7, 1934 2,226,603 Gagen Dec. 31, 1940 2,522,950 Keith Sept. 19, 1950 2,559,948 Currie July 10, 1951 2,565,449 Emrick Aug. 21, 1951 2,569,733 Ringler Oct. 2, 1951 2,571,833 Chidsey Oct. 16, 1951 2,611,527 Fisher Sept. 23, 1952 2,654,474 Ringler Oct. 6, 1953 2,663,413 Foster Dec. 22, 1953 2,765,073 Murray Oct. 2, 1956 2,786,572 Gentry Mar. 26, 1957 

